Andean Condor Chick Expected to Hatch May 16 - 22

May 9, 2018 (Pittsburgh, PA) – The National Aviary has launched its first Andean Condor nest cam, giving viewers around the world the opportunity to watch for the hatching of a rare Andean Condor chick. The egg, which is expected to hatch between May 16 and May 22, was produced by Lianni and Lurch, a pair of Andean Condors that occupy the Condor Court habitat at the National Aviary.

The nest, which can be viewed online at http://aviary.org/condor-nest-cam, is tucked inside a cave in Condor Court. A high-resolution infrared nest cam has been set up across from the cave and zoomed in tight to allow views of Lianni incubating the egg, which is about the size of a mango. Viewers can catch glimpses of the egg when Lianni gets up to stretch her legs, and eventually, assuming all goes well, see the chick hatch and grow as Lianni cares for it.

If the hatching is successful, this will be the first Andean Condor hatching at the National Aviary since 2009. Lianni has produced four chicks in the past (not including this newly laid egg). Three of those chicks were released into the wild in Columbia and Venezuela to help boost their wild populations, and the other found its home in a conservation center in Florida.

“With Andean Condor populations in decline, every chick that hatches is important, and we are delighted to share the anticipation and wonder of the chick’s arrival with the world by way of this nest cam,” says National Aviary Executive Director Cheryl Tracy. “Through our participation in the AZA’s collaborative breeding program and our field conservation projects in Ecuador, the National Aviary is supporting efforts to reverse the decline of this remarkable species.

The chick will be parent raised at the National Aviary for at least the first year, until the point at which it would naturally leave its parents in the wild. This chick is likely to go on to another Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo to contribute to the future of its species through the AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP) breeding program, which is designed to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse and demographically stable population for generations into the future.

Andean Condors are the world’s largest flighted bird, boasting a wingspan of approximately 10 feet. These massive vultures typically lay only one egg about every 18 – 24 months. The National Aviary’s Andean Condor breeding program is part of a global effort to save Andean Condors, which are threatened throughout much of their range and critically endangered in Ecuador. Condor Court was renovated in 2015 to create a habitat that mimics cliffs of the High Andes mountain regions where Andean Condors live and nest. Caves and other features were built to create an environment conducive to successful breeding.

The camera and installation services were generously donated by M&P Security Solutions, Inc., a veteran-owned business serving the Greater Pittsburgh Area.

The public is invited to watch the nest at http://aviary.org/condor-nest-cam. For photos, updates and exclusive content, follow the National Aviary on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, and join the conversation by using #condorchickPGH.

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2018 has been designated Year of the Bird by the National Geographic Society, in recognition of the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a key bird-protection law. The National Aviary is proud to join National Geographic and other bird and wildlife organizations in celebrating birds, and encouraging learning and action to protect wild bird species and their habitats. Learn more at www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/year-of-the-bird/

About the National Aviary

The National Aviary is America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds. Located on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side, the National Aviary’s diverse collection comprises 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through exhibits create an intimate, up-close interaction between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and to meet many species rarely found in zoos anywhere else in the world. Hours of operation are 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. daily. For admission rates and more information visit www.aviary.org.